Verb Tens ES: How To Distinguish Different Verb Tenses When Tutoring
Verb Tens ES: How To Distinguish Different Verb Tenses When Tutoring
Verb Tens ES: How To Distinguish Different Verb Tenses When Tutoring
ES
How to distinguish different verb tenses
when tutoring
EDITING ADVICE
OVERVIEW
1. Present
2. Past
3. future
OVERVIEW
A. Simple tenses
B. Progressive tenses
C. Perfect tenses
D.*Perfect progressive tenses
(decided not to cover here)
NOW
PAST
FUTURE
(1A)SIMPLE PRESENT T
ENSE
MEANING
Activities or events that occurring in
the present.
Summarizing pieces of writing, films,
plays.
Stating ongoing opinions, beliefs, hab
its, and facts.
Ex: I ride a bike to school everyday.
Singular:
Writes
Studies
walks
Plural:
Write
Study
Walk
(1B)PRESENT PROGRES
SIVE TENSE
MEANING
One thing happened in the past,
and is in progress at the present
time, and probably will continue.
Ex: I am washing the dishes.
walking
doing
staying
(verb + ing)
(1C)PRESENT PERFECT
TENSE
MEANING
The
ow.
The exact time is not importa
nt.
Ex: She has already
dropped the class.
PARTICIPLE
wanted, turned, dropped
hurt, come, build
felt, gone, hidden
blown, grown, known
begun, rung, swum
MEANING
At
Regular:
played, walked, n
oticed
Irregular :
became, began
blew, grew
thought, taught
cut, hurt, let
MEANING
One
was
+
were
typing
leaving
working
(verb + ing)
MEANING
The
(participle
PARTICIPLE
wanted, turned, dropped
hurt, come, build
felt, gone, hidden
blown, grown, known
begun, rung, swum
(3A)SIMPLE FUTURE TE
NSE
MEANING
At
(3B)FUTURE PROGRESS
IVE TENSE
MEANING
One
(verb + ing)
(3B)FUTURE PERFECT
TENSE
MEANING
The action will be completely don
e before another time in the futu
re.
Ex: Albert will already have taken
shower before he goes to bed.
PARTICIPLE
wanted, turned, dropped
hurt, come, build
felt, gone, hidden
blown, grown, known
begun, rung, swum
MODALS
should
could
would
SHOULD
Advisability
Ex: You should do your home
work instead of going to the
movies.
SHOULD
90%
certainty (expectati
on)
Ex: He should attend th
e meeting tomorrow.
COULD
past ability
Ex: I could get up early when
I was young.
COULD
polite request
Ex: Could you teach me with
this math problem?
COULD
suggestion (affirmative only)
Ex: You could do some resear
ch about this topic to see wh
ether you have the right ans
wer.
COULD
less than 50% certainty
Ex: She could be in her office
.
COULD
impossibility (negative only)
Ex: That couldnt be his dog bec
ause his dog was dead yesterday.
WOULD
polite request
Ex: Would you please pass m
e the salt?
WOULD
preference
Ex: I would rather die than g
et married with him.
WOULD
repeated action in the past
Ex: She would take a walk ev
ery morning when she was yo
ung.
WOULD
polite for want (with like)
Ex: I would like to have some
tea, please.
WOULD
unfulfilled wish
Ex: I would have learned mor
e about how to use proper ve
rb tenses before coming to th
e U.S.
THANKS